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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. fall — to drop
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. field — for sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fine — all right
  10. staff — employees
  11. field — a subject
  12. mate — to breed
  13. charge — a price
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fine — high quality
  16. charge — in control
  17. staff — employees
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mate — a friend
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. field — farmland

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com